Worried Life Blues' was elected to the Blues Hall of Fame in the first year of balloting in the Classics of Blues Recordings category. It was also the first song ever recorded by singer-pianist Major [...]
One of Sonny Boy Williamson’s specialties was his way of singing not just about the sadness of lost love but also about how cruel and unjust it all seemed to him. In the case of [...]
Statesboro Blues' may be best known as an Allman Brothers electric guitar showcase from their 1971 Fillmore East album, but the original recording by Georgia street musician Blind Willie McTell was a lithe acoustic rendition [...]
Elmore (Elmo) James recorded many classics after hitting the charts with “Dust My Broom” in 1952 and “I Believe” in 1953, but only with New York producer Bobby Robinson did Elmore get his name back [...]
For a strong-willed bluesman known for his rough and rowdy ways, Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) was certainly not afraid to show vulnerability when it came to pleading with women in his songs. “You got [...]
Percy Mayfield was one of the premier composers of blues songs, but his most enduring hit, 'Please Send Me Someone to Love,' was actually a prayer in ballad form. Inspirational messages were at the core [...]
Of the 14 tracks Charley Patton recorded at his 1929 debut session, Paramount chose 'Pony Blues' and 'Banty Rooster Blues,' as the two sides of his first single, which proved to be his biggest hit [...]
If there ever was a blues theme for the proletariat, it was Jimmy Reed's 1961 smash, Big Boss Man. 'You got me workin', boss man, workin' 'round the clock, I want me a drink of [...]
Out of the many classics recorded by Muddy Waters, 'Long Distance Call' was Muddy's own personal favorite, and understandably so. A sterling performance by Muddy as a singer and slide guitarist with Little Walter on [...]
Big Joe Turner is best described as one of the critical link between R&B, Blues and Rock N Roll. The Kansas City musician was a vital musical factor for almost five decades and stands as [...]